Kinzinger Defeats Manzullo in Illinois's 16th Congressional District Primary

[brooklynite]

Source: National Journal

Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., has defeated fellow Republican Rep. Don Manzullo in the state's 16th District GOP congressional primary.

The AP called the race for Kinzinger just after 11 p.m. Eastern time. With 85 percent of precincts reporting, Kinzinger led Manzullo 56 percent to 44 percent.

The race between Kinzinger and Manzullo, forced because Illinois lost a congressional seat and state Democrats controlled the redistricting process, followed a common tea party-against-establishment trend in recent GOP primaries. But the script flipped here, with 10-term veteran Manzullo garnering the bulk of the tea party and movement conservative support while Kinzinger, a freshman, lined up more establishment backing, including an endorsement from House Majority Leader Eric Cantor last week.

Kinzinger's victory not only ends Manzullo's congressional career but also represents a victory for Cantor, who came under harsh criticism with the rest of House GOP leadership this week for taking a public stand in Kinzinger's favor. After Cantor endorsed Kinzinger, the Cantor-affiliated YG Action Fund super PAC went up with $50,000 in pro-Kinzinger radio ads in the 16th District. Since then, Manzullo and other House Republicans have exploded with fury toward Cantor, while Speaker John Boehner and Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy have sought to distance themselves from Cantor's choice to pick sides. (McCarthy's leadership PAC also donated to Kinzinger after the merged seat matchup became likely, though, and Boehner's donated to Kinzinger last year before evening up to Manzullo just last week.)

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/kinzinger-defeats-manzullo-illinoiss-16th-congressional-district-primary-230531243.html

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Start crying, Speaker Boehner. I suspect Cantor's brigades are gong to be coming for you after the Election.

[madrchsod]

1. that`s my district.....totally sucks

there`s no democratic candidate running against kinzinger.

but it`s a big loss for the illinois teaparty.

[murielm99]

2. This is my district.

Kinzinger is a conservative, and I don't like him much. But Manzullo was totally stupid. The tea party endorsed him, too. Even though this area is conservative, I think most of the people around here have had enough of this teahadist business.

Manzullo was in Congress for twenty years. Even when his own party was in power, they did not trust him with a committee chairmanship. He really was stupid and uninformed. I have been to his town hall meetings. The trouble is, this area is so red that we cannot get anyone viable to run against either Manzullo or Kinzinger. The party won't waste their time backing anyone, or throwing money at a lost cause.

I still think no race should ever go uncontested. Look at what happened with Hastert. He was very entrenched, and now he is gone, gone, gone. Politics can change overnight.